Slovakia is a high-income advanced economy [12] [13] with a very high Human Development Index , [14] [15] a very high standard of living and performs favourably in measurements of civil liberties , press freedom , internet freedom , democratic governance and peacefulness . The country maintains a combination of market economy with a comprehensive social security system. Citizens of Slovakia are provided with universal health care , free education and one of the longest paid maternity leave in the OECD . [16] The country joined the European Union in 2004 and the Eurozone on 1 January 2009. [17] Slovakia is also a member of the Schengen Area , NATO , the United Nations , the OECD , the WTO , CERN , the OSCE , the Council of Europe and the Visegrád Group . The Slovak economy is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and 3rd fastest in eurozone . Its legal tender, the Euro , is the world's 2nd most traded currency . [18] Although regional income inequality is high, 90% of citizens own their homes . In 2016, Slovak citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 165 countries and territories, ranking the Slovak passport 11th in the world. [19] Slovakia is the world’s largest per-capita car producer with a total of 1,040,000 cars manufactured in the country in 2016 alone [20] and the 7th largest car producer in the European Union . The car industry represents 43% of Slovakia's industrial output, and a quarter of its exports.

Stylish bar on the upper storey of a building in the old town, serving some 70 different kinds of vodka as well as various cocktails, with excellent views of the castle and the cathedral. There's a terrace restaurant, too, serving Mediterranean and Thai dishes, and a lift whisks you up from street level.